How To Sleep With The Boss

Besides, she had to stay focused on starting her life over. She was on her own. She had to be strong.

She had almost forgotten her question when he finally answered.

Five (#ulink_d6eb151d-4ba3-535f-b80f-920904d3a96f)

“Speaking for myself, I suppose it depends on who I’m with.”

Patrick wasn’t immune to the intimacy of the moment. He still reeled from the impact of the kiss. But all else aside, his mother would kill him if he played around with Libby. Libby was emotionally fragile and just coming out of a very rough period in her life. He couldn’t take advantage of her vulnerability, even if she was already worming her way into his heart.

A part of him wanted to tell her how much fun sleeping-bag sex could be. But that would be crossing the line, and Libby Parkhurst was off-limits. He’d be exaggerating anyway. Most of the women he’d been serious about would run for the hills if he suggested anything of the sort.

It occurred to him suddenly that his love of outdoor adventure had largely been segregated from his romantic life. He hiked with his brothers. He took clients out in the woods with Charlise. But he’d never really wanted to bring a woman along in a personal, intimate sense.

Yet with Libby, he was tempted. Unfortunately, temptation was as far as it went. He had to keep her at a distance or this whole scenario might blow up in his face. Particularly when he had to fire her.

He picked up a tiny twig and tossed it into the fire. “You can always listen to music. Did you bring an iPod? It was on the list.”

Libby nodded, her profile disarmingly feminine in the firelight. “I did. But if I have earbuds in, I won’t be able to hear the wild animals when they come to rip me limb from limb.”

Patrick chuckled. Despite Libby’s lack of qualifications for the job as his assistant, he enjoyed her wry take on life. He also respected the fact that she acknowledged her fears without being crippled by them. As if he needed more reasons to be intrigued by her. But that didn’t make her an outdoorswoman.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, I swear.” It was true. Libby might not be the one to cover the maternity leave, but he felt an overwhelming urge to protect her.

Eventually, Libby needed a moment of privacy in the woods. He had known it was coming. But he was pretty sure she wasn’t comfortable about the dark.